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Increases in global trade have prompted both new port development projects as well as expansion of existing harbors. While these trends are occurring worldwide, several specific areas have recently announced major new developments. These include new construction efforts in the Middle East, North America, Eastern Europe, and East Asia. In the Middle East, Iraq is building new facilities for its recently reconstituted navy at the Umm Qasr Naval Base. This facility is positioned along the southern edge of that country astride an estuary that empties into the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assisting in the project. The facilities are designed to offer berths for warships that will provide protection for the nation’s vital oil exports. Securing the myriad components of the oil industry is considered critical for the country’s recovery from recent wars. In North America, expansion of the Port of Anchorage, Alaska faces special challenges due to the region’s high tides and seismic activity. Extensive numbers of berms are required to channel the currents that can otherwise surge along any pier that might be created. Altogether 135 acres of land are being developed to handle the expansion meant to serve tanker and cargo vessels. In… read more »